The infection of the Canadian "caravan of freedom" against Corona restrictions reaches France, and Trudeau confirms that all options are available to end the protests

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced, Friday, that “all options are available” to end the movement of protesters against health measures to combat “Covid” who are crossing the roads, including those leading to the United States, with their cars and trucks, while the contagion of the protests spread to other cities inside and outside Canada.

Trudeau found himself under unprecedented pressure after Washington demanded that he act against anti-Covid health protesters who block roads, including those leading to the United States, in protests that called on the Ontario provincial government to declare a state of emergency, because of the demonstrations it describes as “illegal.” And it has been going on for two weeks.

"Everything is on the table, because this illegal activity must stop," Trudeau said during a press conference.

Trudeau has described the closures and demonstrations in Canada under the slogan "The Caravan of Freedom" as illegal and unacceptable, and have a negative impact on the Canadian economy.

He added that "the borders cannot remain closed, and they will not remain so," noting that he confirmed this to his American counterpart, Joe Biden, during a phone conversation that took place between them in this regard.

In his press conference, the Canadian Prime Minister said, "We never want to deploy the army against the population, it is something to be avoided at all costs. It is a last, last, last solution."

Trudeau made it clear that he would seek a "progressive" approach based on the intervention of reinforced police forces.

The Prime Minister addressed the protesters, saying, "If you join the demonstrations because you are tired of Covid, you must understand now that you are breaking the laws, and the consequences are getting more serious."

Two weeks ago, demonstrators demanding a retraction of various health measures to combat Covid, paralyzed the center of the federal capital, Ottawa, and cut some major trade routes with the intention of hitting the economy and putting pressure on the government.

Since Monday, these protesters have closed the Ambassador Bridge, which is a vital trade artery linking Ontario to the American city of Detroit, as it cuts more than 25% of merchandise trade between the United States and Canada.

The so-called "Freedom Caravan" began as an anti-vaccination movement for cross-border truck drivers and turned into a protest movement.

The US presidency said that a number of US ministers and senior advisers in the field of homeland security and transportation are in regular contact with their Canadian counterparts in order to "quickly bring an end" to a crisis that is disrupting American industry.

Declaring a state of emergency in Ontario

On Friday morning, the Prime Minister of Ontario, where the Ambassador Bridge is located, as well as the federal capital, Ottawa, declared a state of emergency due to the "illegal" demonstrations that have continued for two weeks.

"We will take all necessary measures to ensure that the borders are reopened, and I say to the trapped residents of Ottawa: We will make sure that you are able to resume a normal life as soon as possible," Doug Ford said during a press conference.

In addition to the Ambassador Bridge, protesters are blocking two other major roads, the first in Emerson, linking Manitoba to North Dakota, and the second in Alberta.

Protest infection

And the contagion of these protests spread to other major Canadian cities such as Montreal, where those who reject health measures are preparing to close their streets with their cars and trucks, and the spark of these movements has also reached other parts of the world.

In France, thousands of opponents of health restrictions set out in convoys on Friday, heading to Paris, which they reached in the evening, despite the fact that the authorities promised them to prevent any road closures.

French authorities have warned that protesters who break the no-protest order across Paris risk a two-year prison sentence, a 4,500-euro fine and the suspension of their driver's licenses.

The organizers of the French Freedom Caravan describe their movement as the next stage of anti-government mobilization, after the "yellow vests" movement and the demonstrations against health and vaccination passports.

It is noteworthy that France last month imposed strict vaccine restrictions, effectively banning the unvaccinated from all restaurants, sports arenas and other places.

When does the acute phase of Covid end?

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Friday that the "acute phase" of the "Covid-19" pandemic will end during the current year if 70% of the world's population is vaccinated.

"We are counting on the end of the acute phase of the pandemic this year, provided that 70% of the world's population is vaccinated by the middle of the year," he explained during a visit to a vaccine factory in South Africa.

He added, "If this happens, then we will really end the acute stage, and this is what we expect. The matter is in our hands (...) It is a matter of choice."

Only 11% of Africans have received the vaccine, the lowest in the world.

And the branch of the World Health Organization in Africa considered that the brown continent should double the rate of vaccination against Covid, in the hope of reaching the desired 70% by the end of the first half of 2022.

This comes amid a clear decline in the rates of injuries during this week, all over the world, with 2.52 million injuries per day recorded in the world, the indicator is clearly declining for the second week in a row (-17% compared to last week), after 15 weeks of increase.